2021 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
GS-5 employees with a duty station in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA earn 41.44% on top of the base GS-5 pay scale. That means a GS-5 Step 1 salary jumps from $30,414 on the base table to $43,018 in San Francisco.
2021 GS-5 Pay in San Francisco
Locality-adjusted GS-5 rates for San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $43,018 | $1,654.54 | $20.61 | +$12,604 |
| Step 2 | $44,452 | $1,709.69 | $21.30 | +$13,024 |
| Step 3 | $45,886 | $1,764.85 | $21.99 | +$13,444 |
| Step 4 | $47,320 | $1,820.00 | $22.67 | +$13,864 |
| Step 5 | $48,754 | $1,875.15 | $23.36 | +$14,284 |
| Step 6 | $50,189 | $1,930.35 | $24.05 | +$14,705 |
| Step 7 | $51,623 | $1,985.50 | $24.74 | +$15,125 |
| Step 8 | $53,057 | $2,040.65 | $25.42 | +$15,545 |
| Step 9 | $54,491 | $2,095.81 | $26.11 | +$15,965 |
| Step 10 | $55,925 | $2,150.96 | $26.80 | +$16,385 |
2021 GS-5 pay table for San Francisco
Each step below already includes the 41.44% locality adjustment. The "Locality add-on" column shows how much locality pay is adding compared with the base GS-5 table.
| Step | Annual salary | Biweekly pay | Hourly rate | Locality add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $43,018 | $1,654.54 | $20.61 | +$12,604 |
| Step 2 | $44,452 | $1,709.69 | $21.30 | +$13,024 |
| Step 3 | $45,886 | $1,764.85 | $21.99 | +$13,444 |
| Step 4 | $47,320 | $1,820.00 | $22.67 | +$13,864 |
| Step 5 | $48,754 | $1,875.15 | $23.36 | +$14,284 |
| Step 6 | $50,189 | $1,930.35 | $24.05 | +$14,705 |
| Step 7 | $51,623 | $1,985.50 | $24.74 | +$15,125 |
| Step 8 | $53,057 | $2,040.65 | $25.42 | +$15,545 |
| Step 9 | $54,491 | $2,095.81 | $26.11 | +$15,965 |
| Step 10 | $55,925 | $2,150.96 | $26.80 | +$16,385 |
Base vs. locality comparison
How much more San Francisco pays
Step-increase waiting periods
GS-5 in San Francisco: what to expect
Entry-level professional and administrative positions, including many recent college graduates hired into program, budget, or HR roles.
For 2021, the San Francisco pay area adds a 41.44% locality adjustment on top of the nationwide base GS schedule. Every GS-5 employee assigned to this area benefits from that same percentage, regardless of step or series.
Qualifications and career path
Minimum qualifications. A bachelor's degree, three years of general experience, or one year at the GS-4 level.
Promotion path. GS-5 is a common ladder start. Typical progression is GS-5 → GS-7 → GS-9.
The rough military equivalent for GS-5 is E-6 Staff Sergeant, useful for comparing GS roles against enlisted and officer ranks when looking at pay or authority level.
Biweekly take-home for GS-5 in San Francisco
Before taxes and deductions, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,655 per biweekly pay period. At Step 10 that rises to $2,151. Actual take-home will be lower after federal tax, state tax, TSP contributions, retirement and health insurance deductions.
Note. This is the archived 2021 table. For current pay, open the latest GS-5 San Francisco page.
Other grades in San Francisco
GS-5 in San Francisco questions
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How much does a GS-5 make in San Francisco?
In 2021, a GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns $43,018 per year. At Step 10 the salary reaches $55,925. This is 41.44% higher than the base GS-5 salary. -
What is the locality adjustment for GS-5 in San Francisco?
The locality adjustment is the same for every grade and step within a pay area. For San Francisco in 2021, it is 41.44%. On a GS-5 Step 1 salary that translates to an extra $12,604 per year. -
What is the biweekly pay for GS-5 in San Francisco?
Biweekly pay is annual salary divided by 26. A GS-5 Step 1 employee in San Francisco earns roughly $1,655 per pay period before tax and retirement deductions.